What to Bring to Your Tax Appointment: A CPA's Checklist

Every tax season starts the same way: a stack of envelopes, a few emails with PDFs attached, and the question "what else do you need?" This checklist answers that question before you ask it. It is the list David Tucker works from when preparing an individual return (Form 1040), and it pairs with the fillable Personal Tax Organizer on this site.

You do not need everything on the list. Skip the sections that do not apply to you, and when in doubt, send it anyway. It is much faster to set a document aside than to chase one in April.

Identification and prior returns

• A copy of last year's federal and state return, if you are a new client. It shows carryovers, depreciation schedules and elections that affect this year.
• Dates of birth and Social Security numbers for you, your spouse and each dependent. The Demographics worksheet collects these on one page.
• Your bank routing and account number if you want a refund by direct deposit.
• Any IRS or state letters you received during the year, including the notice with your Identity Protection PIN if you have one.

Income

• W-2 from each employer.
• 1099-NEC or 1099-MISC for contract or freelance work, and a summary of the related expenses. Use the business worksheet if you have more than a handful.
• 1099-INT and 1099-DIV for interest and dividends.
• 1099-B and the year-end brokerage statement for stock, fund or crypto sales. The consolidated statement from your broker usually has everything in one document.
• 1099-R for pension, IRA or 401(k) distributions, and SSA-1099 for Social Security.
• 1099-G for unemployment or a state tax refund.
• 1099-K from payment apps or marketplaces if you sold goods or services.
• Schedule K-1 from any partnership, S corporation, trust or estate. These often arrive late; tell David if you are expecting one.
• Rental income and expenses by property. The Schedule E worksheet walks through every category.
• Alimony received under a pre-2019 agreement, gambling winnings (W-2G), jury pay and any other income, even without a form.

Deductions and credits

• Form 1098 mortgage interest statement, and property tax paid if it is not on the 1098.
• Charitable contributions: receipts for cash gifts and a list of non-cash donations with values.
• Medical and dental expenses if they were unusually high this year.
• Student loan interest (1098-E) and tuition statements (1098-T).
• Child care provider name, address, tax ID and amount paid.
• IRA, HSA and SEP contributions made for the year, including any made before the April deadline.
• Energy-efficient home improvements or electric vehicle purchases, with the manufacturer certification.
• Estimated tax payments made during the year, with dates and amounts. This is the single most common item clients forget.

Health coverage

• Form 1095-A if anyone in the household had health insurance through the Marketplace. The return cannot be completed without it because the premium tax credit has to be reconciled.
• 1095-B or 1095-C from an employer or insurer are useful but not required for the return.

Life changes worth mentioning

Tell David about anything that changed, even if you are not sure it matters: a marriage, divorce or new child; a move, especially between states; a home purchase or sale; a new business or a closed one; an inheritance; a large gift given or received; retirement or a first-time withdrawal from a retirement account. Each of these touches the return somewhere.

How to send it

Clients receive a shared Dropbox folder. Scan or photograph documents and drop them in, or upload the completed organizer. If you are in Austin and prefer paper, David can meet you at his home office or a nearby coffee bar by appointment. Either way, once the folder has everything on this list, the return moves quickly.

If you are not yet a client, the first consultation is free, and this list is a good way to prepare for it.